To maximise the usable space in the building, the practice banished the services to the perimeter. The building is twelve storeys to the north and steps down to six storeys to the south. The lower ground level houses the Lloyd' s restaurant and coffee areas, a wine bar, shops, library, meeting rooms and reception area, while mechanical services, lifts, toilets, kitchens, fire stairs and lobbies are housed in distinct service towers, easily accessible for maintenance. The 84 metre high internal atrium, staggering in its scale and verticality, owes something to Paxton' s Crystal Palace, while the use of opaque glass pays homage to Pierre Chareau' s Maison de Verre in Paris. As Rogers points out: Lloyd's is richly detailed and layered in section, offering a responsive, indeterminate architecture - a balance between permanence and transformation.'

Flexibility

Making optimum use of the site allowed for a high degree of flexibility and choice of alternative strategies during the design, construction and occupation of the building. Should the densely populated market expand, it is even possible to add on more service towers to provide for greater numbers of people.

Legibility

In defining a strategy and not a building, a legible system was developed that broadly allocated zones, defined movement and levels so that areas could change in an orderly basis without disrupting the business. The highly articulated service towers around the perimeter lend an immediate sense of order and hierarchy to the building’s appearance.

Public Realm

The ground level acts as a public space, encouraging workers and tourists into the building, where a coffee house and wine bar contribute to the life of the surrounding streets.